Sri Lanka News Updates with Discussions

5TH LEAD (UPDATE)

Sea Tigers raid key SLN camp in Mannaar

Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) naval wing, the Sea Tigers, launched a surprise attack on Sri Lanka Navy camp at Erukkalampiddi in Mannaar in the early hours of Wednesday, brought the installation under their control and have seized the arms and military equipments, including a radar, LTTE officials in Vanni told TamilNet. The operation was carried out by Marine Commandos, a special forces unit of the Sea Tigers. The Tigers have seized a 50-caliber machine gun, 81 mm mortars, Light Machine Guns, Rocket Launchers and several other military hardware from the camp, the Tigers said.

Daisy whats your source??

Ms Muttley
Your Cartoon was nice:))

More than 1000 SLA wounded in aborted offensive

At least 1058 Sri Lanka army troops were wounded in Wednesday's massive onslaught against the positions of the Liberation Tigers in the Jaffna peninsula s southern sector, military sources in Jaffna said. A large number of these were airlifted to government hospitals in Colombo and Anurudhapura. Many of the seriously wounded were also sent to the government general hospitals in Jayawardhanapura and Ragama near Colombo. Others have been admitted to provincial hospitals, according to medical sources. About 100 more are expected to be airlifted to Colombo later today for treatment, the sources added. Casualties started rising when several advancing SLA troop concentrations were hit by heavy artillery fire from the LTTE s gun positions in the rear, military sources in Jaffna said.

Daisy whats your source??

Anyway our ppl have a habit of this AUSPICIOUS TIMING!

Sustaining strategic parity and beyond

When the Liberation Tigers routed the Sri Lanka army s Agni Khiela (Rod of Fire) offensive in April 2001, a year after the fall of the strategic Elephant Pass garrison, the general description of the state of Sri Lanka s conflict as a military stalemate was no longer tenable. Celebrations by the LTTE on Monday to mark the Elephant Pass victory and the defeat of Agni Khiela underscored Tamils perception that their ability to negotiate political rights is essentially predicated on the LTTE s military power.


commander of the Sea Tigers addressing the celebration Monday night
The two victories brought the Tigers to the threshold of tilting the strategic balance in their favour.

The Agni Khiela Operation was unique in that it essentially embodied the principle of combining awesome indirect fire and heavy concentration and speedy convergence of ground forces and armour on a well defined target. The principle is essentially predicated on possessing superior weapons systems such as Colombo s air power.

This was in sharp contrast to cumbersome manoeuvre and phased deployment of forces which characterised the SLA s two year long Jeya Sikurui Operation to capture the Vanni.

3RD LEAD

Tiger aircraft rockets Palaly base, curfew in Jaffna

At least one unidentified aircraft flew over the Sri Lankan military base at Palaly firing rockets at around 9.30 p.m. Friday, sources in Jaffna town said. Sri Lanka Army (SLA) artillery fire being directed from the base stopped after the attack, the sources said. Meanwhile a curfew has been clamped on Jaffna town. The LTTE has vowed to repel the SLA offensive on the Elephant Pass area.

Military Spokesperson of the Tigers, Mr. Irasaiah Ilanthirayan (Marshall) We will use our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines in an all out defensive measure to protect our people and homeland, Mr. Irasaiah Ilanthirayan, the military spokesman of the Tigers told TamilNet when contacted to comment on the reports of aerial attack on Palaly military base.

Sri Lankan artillery elsewhere kept up their shelling towards LTTE controlled southern Jaffna from there large numbers of people are fleeing into Kilinochchi district.

The A9 road in LTTE controlled areas along which civilians were attempting to move was being targeted by SLA shelling, sources said.

The LTTE s official radio, Voice of Tigers (VoT), meanwhile urged civilians living close to SLA positions in Thenmaradchchi to move away. The radio warned that LTTE artillery fire responding to the SLA offensive would target camps there.

The Tiger radio urged civilians to stay 1 km away from Eluthumadduval, Pulo-pallai, Kilali, Kodikamam, Kachchai and Varani in particular.

Charles Anthony Brigade celebrates 15th anniversary of inauguration

Cadres of Charles Anthony Brigade and Senior Commanders of the Liberation Tigers celebrated the fifteenth anniversary of the formation of the brigade by holding a sports and cultural event which started at 3.30 p.m. Monday in an undisclosed sports ground in Vanni, sources said. Charles Anthony brigade, the first conventional fighting formation created by the Liberation Tigers on 10 April 1991 was initially trained under the leadership of Col.Balraj.

Col. Yarlini (Vithusha), Special Commander of the Malathi Women Regiment of the LTTE, hoisting the flag at the sports event.

Special Commander Lt. Col. Nakulan of Charles Antony Brigade hoisting the Brigade's flag.Special Commander of Malathi Brigade, Col.Vithusha hoisted the Tamileelam flag. Special Commander of the Charles Anthony Brigade, Col.Nagulan, hoisted the Brigade's flag.

Following the lighting of memorial lamps to the pictures of Brigades martyrs and that of Lt.Charles Anthony, cadres took part in several sports events including volley ball and Kapadi, a popular local sport.

Sports events were supervised by Northern Region Special Commander Col.Theepan, Senior Commander of Northern Command Lt.Col.Arivu, and Lt.Col.Nagulan.